Understanding population dynamics is crucial for interpreting the evolutionary history of a species and guiding conservation efforts. My project focuses on the critically endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) population in the Virunga massif in East Africa. First, I will analyze the genetic samples collected during the 2015-2016 gorilla population census in order to determine (a) the minimum number of individuals in the massif and (b) a mark-recapture estimate of the total population size. Next, I will use the census genetic data to trace dispersal movements of individual gorillas between the 2010 and the 2015-2016 censuses. Finally, I will investigate the use of high throughput sequencing as applied to DNA from noninvasive samples to determine kinship with confidence in this inbred population. These data, in combination with the long-term demographic and genetic database from the Karisoke Research Center of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, will allow me to investigate inbreeding avoidance and female dispersal patterns.